Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, has announced that a new 2025 budget is being drafted to address key development needs and ensure the state’s progress.
Ibas highlighted that the budget will prioritize job creation for the people of Rivers and enhance the integration of technology in critical public services.
This announcement comes as a coalition of Nigerian activists in the United States prepares to protest at the White House over the imposition of emergency rule in Rivers State.
The activists are also calling for the reinstatement of the suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the restoration of the State House of Assembly, which they claim is a direct attack on Nigeria’s democracy.
Ibas made the statement regarding the new budget during a meeting with the Rivers caucus in the National Assembly, led by Senator Barinada Mpigi (PDP, Rivers South-East), at Government House in Port Harcourt.
The Sole Administrator emphasized that the new budget will focus on healthcare, education, social services, and infrastructure development.
“We have moved swiftly since the Supreme Court ruling on the state’s budget to prepare a new budget that reflects our commitment to improving the lives of our citizens,” Ibas said.
“We are committed to ensuring that the process is transparent, inclusive, and expedited so that we do not lose any more time in delivering essential services.”
Meanwhile, the National Assembly members loyal to Fubara, including Boma Goodhead, Allison Anderson, and Ipalibo Banigo, were reportedly excluded from the meeting, which raised concerns about internal party divisions.
The delegation that met with Ibas included prominent figures such as Senators Allwell Onyesoh, Kingsley Chinda, Dumnamene Dekor, Solomon Bob, and others.
The new budget initiative follows a turbulent period for Rivers State, as efforts by Governor Fubara to present the 2025 budget were blocked by antagonistic lawmakers after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a re-presentation by the Martins Amaewhule-led Assembly.
Despite these setbacks, Ibas has remained focused on ensuring the state’s development continues unhindered.
In the United States, the Democratic Movement (DM), a coalition of Nigerian activists, has expressed strong opposition to the emergency rule imposed by President Bola Tinubu.
The group has vowed to stage a protest in Washington, D.C., marching to both the White House and the U.S. Department of State.
The protest aims to draw international attention to what they describe as a “dangerous assault on democracy.”
Cosmos Achief, President of the DM, stated, “We cannot sit idly by while an elected governor is removed, the legislature is suspended, and an unelected administrator is imposed. These actions set a dangerous precedent for Nigeria’s democracy.”
The coalition’s protest will demand the reversal of the emergency rule, the reinstatement of Governor Fubara, and the restoration of the state’s legislature, asserting that these steps are necessary to safeguard Nigeria’s democratic values.
